Recommendations in construction report to put Jasper Ave. construction back on schedule

Nearly two months after city officials confirmed to CTV News that extensive roadwork project was behind schedule, the city’s Transportation Committee reviewed a report, outlining the roadblocks the project had encountered, and how officials were dealing with them.

A section of Jasper Avenue between 100 and 102 Streets has been reduced to one lane of traffic in each direction for some time, while crews work on updating the Central LRT station, and complete the planned Jasper Avenue Streetscape.

In early December, 2012, the city said the project was eight weeks behind schedule – blaming mainly inaccurate construction records for the Central LRT station, and inclement weather over the first year of construction.

Those reasons were outlined in a report that was reviewed by the City of Edmonton Transportation Committee Wednesday.

The report stated the primary reason the project had fallen behind schedule was the inaccurate as-built records for the LRT station, which was built in 1977, along with records associated with the maintenance and rehabilitation over the last 35 years.

Issues stemming from those records meant crews had to alter their approach to that portion of the project.

As for the weather, the report said heavy rains in July, near-freezing temperatures in October and early snowfall in November, combined with freezing rain seriously hampered the project’s progress.

According to the report, the project team responded to the delays with increased efforts including adding more staff, and extending workdays and hours – policies that have been in effect since August 2012.

Moving forward, the report suggested the following approach be taken:

Adding workers and hours over the winter months, starting in January

Heating and hoarding of sidewalk work on the north side of Jasper Avenue, work that’s scheduled for completion in March, 2013

Adding signage to guide pedestrians through the affected area, and help affected businesses

Moving the open lanes of Jasper Avenue to the north side of the street as soon as possible, ahead of planned excavation on the south side of the street

Those points mean a plan to temporarily allow two more traffic lanes to be open could not be done.

The report stated the included approach would mean the project would be back on schedule, and would be completed in time to meet its October, 2013 deadline.